"Gracious! Has she fainted again?"

"No; where is Mollie?"

"Coming. There she is. We were looking everywhere for you. Alice
Jallow said--"

"The horrid thing!" burst out Betty. "Why, whatever can have happened?
You look quite tragic!"

"I am. Come in here!"

Grace advanced, and not even the prospect of hearing what she guessed was
going to be some sort of a strange secret could stop her from taking
another helping of candy. Betty saw and murmured:

"You are hopeless."

"What's up?" asked Mollie, gliding into the room, her dark hair straying
rather rebelliously from beneath her hat.

"Come in," invited Betty, and soon the four were sitting together, while
in a sort of dialogue Betty and Amy told the pathetic little story.

"And that's how it stands," finished Betty. "I wanted to do something--or
say something--to make Alice Jallow feel--"

"She should be punished--we should all cut her--she ought to be put out
of school!" burst out the impulsive Mollie. "I shall go to Miss Greene--"